Tuesday, February 2, 2010

MAGA NO NEED PAY: The Lyrics

This song was recorded for the B.L.I.N.G. project which was initiated by Ohimai Godwin Amaize as an ambassador of the Microsoft Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative for Nigeria (MISSPIN) a joint campaign by Microsoft and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) which seeks to re-direct the energies of young Nigerians from cyber crime to positive online engagements.

The B.L.I.N.G. musical collaboration project which enjoys the sponsorship of Microsoft has the benefit of having Cobhams Asuquo as producer, and an impressive line-up of artistes who volunteered to support the B.L.I.N.G. project: Banky W, MI, Modele, Omawumi, Rooftop MCs, Bez and Wordsmith. Also, several Nigerian celebrities like Fela Durotoye, Dele Momodu, Denrele Edun, Ofunneka Molokwu, Iyanya etc turned up at the video shoot which held last week in Lagos.

The song as well as its video has been scheduled for release this February. Below are the lyrics of the song:

Intro:Echo: Eh!...Eh!...Eh!...Eh-Eh!...Maga no need pay!For me to buy correct motor,For me to take make my dough,Maga no need pay!Eh! Eh!Maga no need pay!

Verse 1: OmawumiReminiscing as I walk to my car,Thinking about how it used to be,For Ekpoma, I dey ride okada and most times I dey soak garri,I wanted to change the way I livedBut I didn’t have to do those things.Now I’m rolling VIPAnd all the girls wanna be like me, yeah...

Verse 2: ModeleYou ask me how I deal with my reality,Gotta tell you truly it ain’t easy, no!I feel the pressure to find something wrong to doThen I remember you reap what you sow!Now I’m sitting staring at the screen of my computer,I’m thinking really hard about what truly matters,What with all these data, just to catch a maga,It could have been my father, or someone else’s brother

Verse 3: Banky WSeven in the morning, it’s a brand new dayEyes still swelling, still at the cafeHustling real hard from Sunday to SundayHoping someday that maga will payBut maga no need payFor me to live correctThey call me Mr. Capable, I gat my self-respectNo need to do Yahoo-Yahoo for me to cash a chequeI don’t need no maga, just work harder now

Verse 4: BezTell me what a boy like me should doThought I heard the guys that rule do Yahoo-YahooAnd if I do not do it I’m uncoolI’ll be a fool to the girls in schoolBut maga no need pay to get a good degree,Or have a great opportunityDon’t have to hack and attack,Make use of CD cracksWe’re keepin’ it original, now you know my swag

Repeat Chorus

Verse 5: Rooftop MCs (Soulsnatcha & Sokleva)Soulsnatcha:Twale officer!What’s the problem sir?Or there’s a law against cruising in a Range sir?Sokleva:I don’t know what you think we are,Cos we roll in fancy car?We’re making the sweet money,I call it the candy bar.Soulsnatcha:All those wey maga pay,Where dem dey today?I’m straight no deceit,My money get receipt!Sokleva:I don’t mess with cybercrimes,But I make the cypher rhyme.I get paid for my time,Don’t need to scam a dime!

Verse 6: WordsmithI’m your role model’s role model,There’s no second guessing whom...Wordsmith was made to make you change like a dressing room.I’m living proof that there’s dignity in labour,My bars is life imprisonment and this is hard labour.

Verse 7: MIMy father said I was a star before I ever spit a bar,He said when you travel far,Don’t forget who you are.Represent Nigeria,Represent for Africa.Even when the things were hard,I place my future in my God, (Yes, yeah)See my nation’s reputation suffers much condemnation,This’ our situation.Are we cybercrime criminals? No!We are the mineral resources of our fatherland,We must rise and take the stand.Every day heroes are born,All stereotypes are torn.Things we did to cause us harm,We off that and now we on,Hard work, positivity,Truth, reliabilityExpose your ability,Change our reality,That’s word! (Yeah, yeah, yeah)

Repeat Chorus 2ice

Outro with chorus in the background: MICheer!Nigeria!Yeah, yeah...listen everybody,Put your BLING up right now!BLING in this case means we’re Brilliant, we’re Legitimate, we’re Inspired, we’re Nigerian and we’re Great!It means that we do not have to do anything that we ought not to do to make money y’all!We just gatto apply ourselves and work hard and be creative and innovative.Be truly Nigerian.We will get there, y’all!